Overall European energy policy is guided by a number of cross-cutting documents and initiatives. The Energy Action Plan of March 2011 is the most current EU document, which complements specific  Directives. A new Energy Savings Directive  is currently being prepared by the Commission. One main point of discussion is if energy efficiency targets should be used on the national or EU levels.

Europe has had increasingly more ambitious energy efficiency policies since the oil crises of the 1970s. Particularly since 2000, the pace of change has picked up significantly as the priority for energy efficiency gains ground.  The most significant indication of the policy direction in the EU has been through the energy efficiency (action) plans. An energy efficiency action plan came out April 26, 2000.  This was followed by another in 2006 and then most recently, an energy efficiency plan (EEP) in March 2011.

Directives are increasingly used and there are many directives currently being implemented.  Furthermore, more will be coming out as a result of the new energy efficiency plan.

Targets

One “instrument” that comes up regularly is the use of targets to motivate policymakers and consumers to save energy.  Targets have been used for decades and only now is there consideration for binding targets both at the EU level and for individual MS. (Also see our targets page).  As it stands now, there is a non-binding energy savings target for 2020 (confirmed by many Energy Councils and other policy documents) that could become binding if sufficient progress is not achieved by 2013.  This was discussed in the March EEP, but has recently been proposed to be postponed until 2014 as part of the preparation of the new Energy Savings Directive.

To contribute to this debate, eceee has commissioned a study undertaken by a team of experts from the United Kingdom.  This report is the springboard for eceee to dedicate a section of the website to policy issues that go beyond Directives.  This section will evolve as the contribution to energy efficiency policy evolves.

The 2006 Energy End Use and Energy Services Directive (Directive 2006/32/EC), known as the "Energy Services Directive" is currently “expiring” and is planned to be replaced by a new “Energy Savings Directive”. The new Directive will cover both end-use efficiency and co-generation, and it will thus replace both the current energy services Directive as well as the co-generation Directive. The new Directive is currently in the final stages of internal approval before publication in June. For more information on the 2006 Directive, see our dedicated pages on that Directive.